The new England women’s coach, Mark Robinson, wants his players to have more belief in their ability and says a key responsibility will be to improve the team’s transition into the professional era.
Robinson moves into the role having been first-team coach at Sussex, replacing Paul Shaw and set to take charge of the side for February’s tour of South Africa. The 48-year-old led Sussex to successive County Championship titles in 2006 and 2007 and is replaced by Mark Davis.
England struggled to find form throughout 2015, losing the Ashes series against Australia, but Robinson insists these are exciting times for the women’s game. Asked if he saw the move as a promotion, he said: “I don’t look at it like that from a personal point of view.
“But the more I looked at the opportunity the more exciting it was. With the explosion in women’s sport over the last few years, it just felt instinctively right. There is such a high ceiling, that’s what is so exciting.
“There is a lot of momentum already in place, it doesn’t need a revolution or ripping apart. I have to come at it with fresh eyes. They’ve stumbled but that’s OK, because that’s how you learn and that’s how you go forward. You’re going to get tripped up now and again, the key bit is you learn and realise what’s happening.”
A new professional era in the women’s game was announced by the England and Wales Cricket Board in February 2014, including significant pay rises for the top players. Applications to be part of the six-club Women’s Super League will be submitted by the end of the week, with the competition to be launched next year.
The ECB’s director of England women’s cricket, Clare Connor, said the organisation received two overseas applications for the head coach position but that Robinson was the outstanding candidate.
Of the new professional era, Robinson said: “Giving them money doesn’t make them better players instantly.
“My job is to help them understand accountability for their performance, that the media isn’t always a bed of roses. They’re all brand new into this new world of professionalism and not all of this is romantic.
“Because of my daughter I did watch a few games [last summer]. Sitting in my armchair it looked at times like they didn’t quite believe in themselves enough to let themselves go. But they came across as a very good team.”
Connor believes there will one day be a female head coach role and that the game must strive to be more appealing to young girls. She said: “We should be a sport that is aspirational for an athletic girl, I don’t know that we are at the moment. With the Super League launching next year, I think that aspiration for athletic girls will be there.”
